Top priority to Agniveers: Union Home Ministry

New Delhi: 'Agniveers', soldiers recruited in the Army, Navy and the Air Force on short-term contract under a special 'Agnipath' scheme, will get priority in recruitment to the central armed police forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles, the Union Home Ministry announced on Wednesday.

It said those who complete four years of service under the scheme would be given priority in the recruitment process. The government on Tuesday unveiled this transformative scheme, in a major overhaul of the decades-old selection process to bring in fitter and younger troops to deal with future security challenges facing the nation.

Under the scheme, around 46,000 soldiers will be recruited this year between the ages of 17 and a half years and 21 years into the three services, the defence ministry said.

In a tweet, Home Minister Amit Shah's office on Wednesday said the Agnipath scheme is a visionary and welcome decision by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a bright future of the country's youth. "In this context, today the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to give priority to Agniveers who have completed four years under this scheme in the recruitment of CAPFs and Assam Rifles," the HMO India tweeted.

With this decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, under the guidance of the prime minister, youngsters trained under the Agnipath scheme will be able to contribute in the service and security of the country even further. "Detailed planning work has started on this decision," it tweeted.